Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Preparing Lamellae from Vitreous Biological Samples Using a Dual-Beam Scanning Electron Microscope for Cryo-Electron Tomography
07:00

Preparing Lamellae from Vitreous Biological Samples Using a Dual-Beam Scanning Electron Microscope for Cryo-Electron Tomography

Published on: August 5, 2021

4.5K

The parasitophorous vacuole of Encephalitozoon cuniculi: biogenesis and characteristics of the host cell-pathogen

Wolfgang Bohne1, Karin Böttcher, Uwe Gross

  • 1Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Göttingen, Kreuzbergring 57, Göttingen D-37075, Germany. wbohne@gwdg.de

International Journal of Medical Microbiology : IJMM
|May 10, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Microsporidia, like Encephalitozoon cuniculi, invade host cells using a polar tube. This study proposes a new model where the polar tube mechanically pushes the host membrane inward, forming a vacuole for pathogen entry.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Cell Biology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Microsporidia are obligate intracellular fungal pathogens.
  • They are an emerging threat to immunocompromised individuals.
  • Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a model microsporidian with extreme host cell dependency and a minimal genome.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of the biogenesis and characteristics of the host cell-pathogen interface during microsporidian invasion.
  • To propose a modified model for Encephalitozoon cuniculi invasion.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on microsporidian invasion mechanisms.
  • Analysis of the host cell-pathogen interaction dynamics.

Main Results:

  • Microsporidia utilize a polar tube for host cell invasion.
  • The invasion process involves the mechanical force of the polar tube pushing the host plasma membrane inward.
  • This action creates a channel-like invagination, leading to the formation of a parasitophorous vacuole.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed model refines understanding of Encephalitozoon cuniculi invasion.
  • The host cell plasma membrane is not pierced but invaginated by the polar tube.
  • This mechanism facilitates the formation of the parasitophorous vacuole, essential for the pathogen's intracellular life cycle.

More Related Videos

Transient Transduction of the Strobilated Forms of Echinococcus granulosus13:25

Transient Transduction of the Strobilated Forms of Echinococcus granulosus

Published on: September 16, 2022

3.8K
Isolation And Dendritic Cell-Uptake of Small Extracellular Vesicles from Echinococcus granulosus09:04

Isolation And Dendritic Cell-Uptake of Small Extracellular Vesicles from Echinococcus granulosus

Published on: March 28, 2025

877

Related Concept Videos

Symbiosis00:58

Symbiosis

Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
38.9K
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
769
Diversity of Protists I01:15

Diversity of Protists I

Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
2.3K
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
2.3K
Arboviral Encephalitis01:25

Arboviral Encephalitis

Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
52
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology01:26

Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by direct viral invasion or immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by infections or tumors. Both processes lead to neuronal injury, disrupted neurotransmission, and diverse neurological symptoms, often with overlapping clinical and pathological features.Autoimmune EncephalitisIn autoimmune encephalitis, antibodies target neuronal antigens on cell surfaces, synapses, or within neurons. A key example is anti-NMDAR encephalitis, which can...
4